Out
of Print

Land of
Idols

Political
Mythology In America

0-31209-841-3 (cloth)
0-31209-497-3 (paper)
St. Martin's Press, 1993

No
one challenges the political establishment with as much vigor and skill
as Michael Parenti. In Land of Idols, Parenti examines the notion
that American society has no dominant ideology. Arguing that this presumption
is itself ideological, Parenti confronts the prevailing myths in American
society that limit our perception of political reality and constrain
progressive reform.

Honest,
insightful, and intelligent, Land Of Idols urges Americans to
look beyond political mythology and work toward a truly democratic society.

Some
of the topics that Michael Parenti examines are:

New
Age beliefs that reduce social problems to matters of subjective personal
experience

The
definition of patriotism as the unquestioning support of the status
quo at home and military intervention abroad

The
religious posturing of politicians in an effort to provide a veneer
of moral legitimacy to justify their own self-serving political agendas

The
use of racism, sexism, and class inequality to solidify elite rule

The
notion that Marxism is obsolete — and that capitalism fosters democracy

The
belief that in a market economy, artistic, journalistic and academic
expression is free from powerful corporate and government influence.